Good loads for 45 Colt?

[Buckwheat Jack]

I need a good load or two for my 45LC Classic. I will be using 200 gr RNFP cast bullets. I have a selection of powders: Unique, W296, Red Dot and Blue Dot. I might consider getting another powder, but would prefer to use what is at hand for now.
I want a load that is moderate in velocity. Any suggestions?

[cwlongshot]

For many many years UNIQUE was THE 45 Colt powder of choice!!!

IIRC 8 grs was a nice load... (PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK ME!!!)

CW

[gjdykeman]

I vote for Unique also, nice stout loads work great in the carbine. I use a 300g cast FNGC with published loads of Unique and get excellent results. My hunting load Is a generous amount of W296 under the same bullet. The bullet you suggested is way too short for W296. I tried them with the same powder and it did not fire. Squibs and fowled barrel. Unique worked great but the GC was essential. My Blackhawk and carbine leaded bad with hot loads of the light bullets. Trailboss worked perfect for plinking and targets with the 200g RN. The W296 loads and the 300g bullet will hurt you after awhile in the carbine. In the Blackhawk you better watch yourself. My son hit himself in the eye and busted his glasses and nose. I have learned how to shoot these in my pistol, what a hoot. I prefer 10g or less with unique under 255g copper plated for all around use.

[tacklebury]

I like Unique also, although for the carbine, I really like Reloader7.  You can get some pretty good velocity loads with a 250-300gr. bullet and still get light kick.  Just remember to mark them for differentiation if you use a .45 colt pistol also.  In my Blackhawk they won't hurt anything, but they do produce a fireball in shorter than a 14" barrel.    Here's Paco Kelly's article on the .45 colt. 

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/45coltlevergun.htm

[Dinny]

+1 for Paco Kelly's loads. In my Handi rifle, I use 16.5gr of 2400 and a 335gr lead bullet for 1300fps. It's 1.5" accurate at 100yds. I also like to shoot a resized from .458" 405gr lead bullet with about 3gr of Trail Boss. Watch for signs of pressure as the case capacity is greatly reduced. In my rifle, it shoots one fat hole at 30yds. Watch carefully and you can see the bullet, it's only going about 600fps.


Thanks, Dinny

[Doublebass73]

Unique works very well, I would start there. I had good results with 8 grains of Unique under a 250 grain RNFP. I also like Trail Boss.

[Gohon]

Not much call for such a light bullets in the 45 Colt so data may a little scarce.  The loads below are from Speer and for a 200 grain LSWC, not the RNFP your asking about but should give you a starting point.  These figures are from a 6 inch test barrel.

Unique = 8.0-9.5 with 896-1061 fps respectfully.

Red Dot = 6.3-7.3 with 859-1001 fps respectfully.

I shoot nothing below 250 grains bullets in my classic and usually it is the 300 grain cast pills I shoot.  WW296 with the heavier bullets works great for me when using charges meant for the TC & Ruger applications, but you'll know you just touched off some serious power with these rounds. 

[Buckwheat Jack]

Thanks for the help. My bullet choices relate to SASS shooting. I keep things simple. I don't love recoil. I just want to hit a big steel target at about 200 yards.

[Buckwheat Jack]

BTT

[keith44]

Thanks for the help. My bullet choices relate to SASS shooting. I keep things simple. I don't love recoil. I just want to hit a big steel target at about 200 yards.

I think that 200 grain bullet is going to fall a bit short for the range you want.  More consistant hits will be scored with a longer bullet.  Unfortunately that means heavier, and more recoil.

[Jimbo47]

Here are some good loads using 200 grain bullets in the 45 Colt.

http://www.reloadammo.com/45cload.htm

[Blackhawker]

I have found that Unique, HS-6, and 2400 are very good powders for cast bullets with the 45 Colt.  (Not necessarily in that order, however)
Unique probably works best for standard loads and can be loaded to Contender/Ruger levels as well, however, if you're looking exclusively for higher pressure (Contender/Ruger) loads, I'd look to 2400.

I can't recall the load off hand but I used to load 225g TCFP's for my 45 Colt Blackhawk and Win 94 and I always used a heavy load of HS-6 and it worked well.  This was a Ruger/Contender load only, however...not for Colts and replicas.

[Swampman]

Unique works very well, I would start there. I had good results with 8 grains of Unique under a 250 grain RNFP.

Best .45 Colt load ever.  Works great in the .44 Mag. too.

[gcrank1]

Please dont 'mis' understand the statement about Unique and assume its a low pressure load powder, it is not and once you reach and think you can exceed the top end load data it can over pressure the firing platform. It is often used for reduced velocity loads and I use, and like it a lot; but remember, a little goes a long way. In my 44 Spl and light loaded Mag days (hey, a 44 aint far from a 45 or a 240gr bullet from a 250)I used 6.5-7.0 gr Unique a lot for fun shooting, and 7.5 was a good all rounder (for Skeeter and me), 8.0 will have plenty of beans for about any work with an open sight handgun and 9.0 (IIRC) about duplicates the old 45 black powder load ballistically.. Put any of these in a short carbine and you should be able to get 150-200fps more velo than the load in a handgun.
As for 200yd., and all, my friend Mick has a Rossi 92 in 38Spl. that hits the 150-200yd. gongs (not real big either) repeatedly with 158 cast PB over a full charge of black powder. Your 45 carbine should do as well.

[Jimbo47]

Yep!    A 200 grain bullet won't have any problem consistently ringing a gong at 200 yards.

[Ranch13]

I like bludot and unique for the 45. I don't however but seldom load any bullets under 250 grs. So you might want to go to Alliants webguide and use the data there if your reloading manual doesn't have any data for you. With unique and bludot you can reasonably expect 150-200 fps from your rifle over the handgun velocity.

[Blackhawker]

Please dont 'mis' understand the statement about Unique and assume its a low pressure load powder, it is not and once you reach and think you can exceed the top end load data it can over pressure the firing platform.

A good statement here.  In reference to the comment I made about Unique being used for standard velocity/pressure loads up to Ruger/TC loads; what I have read about Unique is that when approaching the upper limits of pressure range for 6 shot Rugers etc, (I believe that is roughly at 35,000 cup) is that Unique can pressure spike very easily as opposed to other slower burning or magnum powders such as H-110, 296, and even 2400.  So, as one approaches the upper end of the limit, it might be better to use the other powders.  However, for standard loads and "warm" loads, Unique is a great powder to use in the 45 Colt.  ....in the 45 ACP too, for that matter.  And as gcrank says, a little does go a long way.  With comparative 45 Colt loads, I can use half the amount of Unique as I do 2400 for the same relative velocities/pressure, yet it fills the cartridge nicely.